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Oh, this isn't a real estate forum? Oh well, applies to ignitors too. Sealed furnaces tend to have very long ignitor life. They are bringing in outside air which is much cleaner than household air. The shortest life tends to come from furnaces in laundry rooms where lint flying around lands on the ignitor causing hot spots.

Also, if the factory ignitor isn't used, these generics may not be designed for the proper warmup the control is using and that can shorten life.

Longest we found was a 17 year old ignitor on a Preway 90. The board gave out before the ignitor and the HO had us change the furnace!

Exactly right.
Also, I have plastic bin in my truck and all ignitors sit upright in there, with enough stock to keep them all in tight, hence, no bouncing around back there when I hop curbs and potholes.

We find in our neck of the woods that homebuilders use the furnaces for construction heat and drywall dust really shortens the life of the ignitor.As Baldloonie stated contaminated air seems to shorten the life of the ignitor although I haven't run across too many of the newer nitrate ignitors that have failed prematurely!

Originally posted by blk We find in our neck of the woods that homebuilders use the furnaces for construction heat and drywall dust really shortens the life of the ignitor.As Baldloonie stated contaminated air seems to shorten the life of the ignitor although I haven't run across too many of the newer nitrate ignitors that have failed prematurely!

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It ought to be illegal for the builder to use the furnace during construction. That's probably why new homes only have a one year warranty on the furnace around here.

Changed out two nitrate ignitors this winter on Lennox. With the lack of room and the necessity of removing most of the burner box it was a challenge to replace the ignitors. Both units 1 year old replacements and not new construction. The ignitors just failed internally, (the wire connect inside the ceramic?).

While we are talking about ignitors....I just installed my first "fits all" nitride ignitor. I am test driving the 120vac silica nitride ignitor called a Glow Stick. It came with a little book with several retrofit applications and a good assortment of bracket adaptors. I am hoping they work out. Has anybody installed any of these? This is a drop in replacement for most carbide ignitors and it is designed for 120vac.